'Teli samaj' yet to gauge its political significance: Pintu

Tourism minister Sunil Kumar 'Pintu' on Saturday said that it was high time people from the 'Teli samaj' understood their importance and took steps to send maximum number of representatives from the community to the assembly and Parliament.

If they failed to do so, Pintu added, their voice would have no impact in the society and people from other communities would ignore it.

Addressing a function organised by Bihar Tailik Sahu Sabha (BTSS) here, the tourism minister said it was a matter of surprise that when people from other sections of the society gave their everything during an election, people from the samaj preferred to abstain from voting and carried on their business activities.

"There are instances when a candidate from a constituency with large number of people from the teli samaj lost an election only because of nonchalant response from the people of the samaj," he said.

"But, it is never too late. If need be, enter into a bargain of seats with the people from other sections of the society because they too do the same thing," Pintu said.

Presiding over the function, the state president of BTSS CN Gupta said BTSS would frequently organise such functions to spread awareness among people of the samaj. The general secretary of the Sabha, Prem Kumar Gupta, said the people of the samaj had to understand the true meaning of electoral politics. Only then they will be respected in the society, he added. MLC Lal Babu Prasad, MLA Motilal Prasad and many others also addressed the function.

On the occasion, Pintu also honoured a large number of panchayat members, mukhiyas, sarpanch and councillors from the samaj.